UNR is partnering with drone delivery service company

RENO, Nev. (MyNews4.com & KRNV) -- UNR is partnering with one of the world's first drone delivery service companies. Flirtey, an Australian based business, is joining the University for high-tech testing of unmanned aerial vehicles.

Flirtey conducted successful fully-automated drone textbook delivery tests in Australia earlier this year, so officials said their partnership with UNR will focus on developing a safe drone delivery system. "What happens if an unmanned autonomous vehicle is flying and suddenly one of the motors dies?” said UNR Assistant Professor of Computer Science & Engineering Dr. David Feil-Seifer.

"Right now that would mean the drone unsafely comes down very fast, and what we're working to do is to have the drone engage in a controllable flight and land safely away from people and other objects."

The partnership is the first to bring UAV industry research and development to the campus. "This is the perfect recipe for economic development and it provides huge opportunities to our students for their future and for their professional development," said UNR College of Engineering Dean Dr. Manos Maragakis.

Maragakis said the University was able to convince Flirtey they will be able to develop and grow even more at UNR. "A workforce when they need it, to provide access to professors that they can partner with them to solve highly complicated technical problems, to provide space where they can test their product."

Maragakis believes the collaboration will show Nevada is a leader in the drone industry. "And we hope that this will serve as an example and many more opportunities like this will follow."

Flirtey's CEO Matthew Sweeney was not available for an interview Tuesday, but he told UNR their partnership also positions them as a first-mover when the U.S. commercial market opens up.